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Mountain Equipment Co-op

Submitted by Garry Cronan on October 15, 2007 - 2:32pm. | | | | |

MEC is Canada’s largest supplier of quality outdoor equipment. It has 11 stores across Canada, as well as a comprehensive web store and phone/mail order service.

Global 300 ranking: 
532
Number of members: 
2,300,000
Member Dividend: 
USD $1,722,727
Number of employees: 
1,120
Gender Diversity: 
46% of employees are female
Turnover: 
USD $: 168,679,960
Type of Co-operative: 
Consumer Co-operative
Date founded: 
1971
Operating Countries: 

Canada, and internationally via mail order.

Website: 

www.mec.ca


Products

MEC product sourcing:

  • MEC is one of the top 25 global purchasers of organic cotton.
  • 100% of cotton in MEC brand clothes is organic.
  • Recycled polyester at 4% in MEC brand items.
  • MEC actively monitors its manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with their standards for health and safety of workers, as well as addressing issues such as forced labour, child labour and freedom of association. This applies all the way down the supply chain.

Product Recycling:

  • MEC promotes secondary markets in products to maximise product life.
  • MEC receives polyester clothing for recycling into new products.

    • Environment

    Product policy

    MEC’s Board-level Product Selection Policy ensures MEC will not design or buy
    products specifically for:

    • Motorised activities.
    • Activities that have an unacceptable impact on the environment.
    • Activities intended to kill or harm animals.

    Reducing environmental impact

    • PVC and other environmentally harmful substances are being removed from all MEC’s products to reduce their environmental impact.
    • Target to further reduce Greenhouse gas emissions from facilities (down 52% from 2003).
    • Target to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions from logistics by 5% in 2006.
    • Target to donate 1% of sales to environmental causes in 2007.

    MEC was ranked top retailer in the Globe & Mail’s Report on Business’ annual
    Corporate Social Responsibility Ranking.

    MEC was ranked top retailer (4th overall) in the Ethical Trading Action Group’s
    Transparency Report Card




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